While the paparazzi are often harshly vilified by the media, celebrities, and onlookers alike, a new photo series exhibit at the Centro Italiano per la Fotografia in Turin presents their controversial work as a unique art form.
The term ‘paparazzo’ (plural: paparazzi) was introduced to the world via Walter Santesso’s role as a persistent news photographer in Federico Fellini’s iconic 1960 film, La Dolce Vita. This started both a cultural ‘Golden Age’ in Italy and a rampant international increase in brazen cameramen invading the personal space of famous people for that perfect, intimate, newsworthy shot. Some popular celebrities were flattered, while others became violent. Artists and photo editors, such as the British Alison Jackson, even resorted to staging ‘scandalous’ photos of the rich and famous using lookalike actors.
The profession’s glory days came to a screeching halt in 1997 when Princess Diana’s tragic death in a Paris car crash was blamed by some media outlets on the paparazzi who chased her in a nearby vehicle. Today, the paparazzi face numerous legal restrictions as the catalysts for anti-stalking and harassment bills in many countries, and many are currently under restraining orders.
Whether you love or hate the job, the vintage photos showcased at Arrivano i Paparazzi in Turin provide a nostalgic window into the past, as well as a poignant commentary on the struggle for privacy famous people still face. Scroll down to see our favorite black and white photos, and vote for the ones that made the most impact on you.
#1 Anita Ekberg Facing The Paparazzi With Bow And Arrows, October 20, 1960
Image source: Marcello Geppetti
#2 Kate Moss And David Bowie, 2003
Image source: Ellen von Unwerth
#3 Jackie Kennedy Captured By A Celebrity Photographer While Walking Quietly On Madison Avenue In New York. October, 1971
Image source: Ron Galella
#4 Brigitte Bardot Leaves The Hotel Forum. Rome, 1965
Image source: Vittorio La Verde
#5 Tazio Secchiaroli Flees An Angry Walter Chiari. The Actor At The Time Was In A Relationship With Superstar Ava Gardner And Was Followed Every Step By Paparazzi. Rome, 1957
Image source: Elio Sorci
#6 Sofia Loren At Ciampino Airport, Returning From The United States. Rome, November 14th, 1961
Image source: Agenzia Dufoto
#7 Aiché Nanà’s Striptease At Rugantino’s Restaurant, Rome 1958. Aiché Nanà And Tazio Secchiaroli, Whom Took The Picture, Were Both Fellini’s Inspirations For The Film “La Dolce Vita.” The Film’s Character Paparazzo, Inspired By Secchiaroli, Is The Origin Of The Word Paparazzi
Image source: Tazio Secchiaroli
#8 Don Gussoni Quarrels With Photographer Giacomo Alexis, Rome 1959
Image source: Marcello Geppetti
#9 Photojournalist Tazio Secchiaroli Hides Armed With His Camera. Rome, 1958
Image source: Ezio Vitale
#10 Lucien Benedetti And Marina Meucci Stand Against The Photographer. Rome, Circa 1965
Image source: Agenzia Dufoto
#11 Stefania Sandrelli. Rome, Early 60s
Image source: Agenzia Dufoto
#12 Soraya’s Arrival At Termini Station Attracts The Attention Of “Assault Photographers”
Image source: Agenzia Dufoto
#13 Anthony Steel Lashes Out Against Photographers. Rome, August 1958
Image source: Tazio Secchiaroli
#14 Alain Delon And Romy Schneider Dance During The Golden Age Ciak Evening At Brigadoon Restaurant. Rome, July 29, 1961
Image source: Marcello Geppetti
#15 Paparazzi Colleagues Chatting On Break In Sistina Street, Rome, 1958
Image source: Ezio Vitale
#16 Marilyn Monroe Lookalike Underessing Before Jfk Impersonator
Image source: Alison Jackson
#17 Patrizia Pellegrino With Her Children Play On The Marina Beach
Image source: Corrado Calvo
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